My partner and I were recently camping in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, in BC Canada. After enjoying the incredible nature there, we were reading about the history of the park. In 1941 it was named in memory of Ernest Manning after he died in a plane crash. He was the chief Forester of British Columbia, who was instrumental in developing the idea of setting land aside for future generations to enjoy.
On reading this, it brought such a huge wave of emotion for me. It really spoke to my heart.
The foresight of this man, and many others like him, who have contributed to the amazing provincial, state and national parks we now have to enjoy in countries all around the world, touched me deeply.
It’s not just the fact that they made these parks possible, but it’s the love they had for nature which guided them. They cared deeply and knew in their heart the importance of preserving such beauty for us.
I invite you to take a moment and reflect on this.
If people such as Ernest Manning had not cared as much as they did, to do what they did, we may not have the privilege of enjoying these parks now.
We can enjoy beautiful parks now because many people like this have cared enough in the past.
Reflecting on this made me appreciate just how much the things we do can ripple into the future for generations to come.
Heart
This also made me reflect on why I’ve chosen to do what I do, and why I created the Peacekeeper Project. As we continue to move forward, I think one of the most important resources the world needs, both now and for future generations, is heart.
It’s not a physical thing we can point to, and simply put it aside to protect… it’s the very seed of the human spirit.
And it’s calling us.
It’s the heart that inspires us to come together and work together selflessly for the benefit of all, because in our heart, in this seed of the human spirit we feel our unity and connectedness to all things… and because of this, we care.
Heart (not the physical heart) is beyond the dramas, stories and insecurities that divide us. It’s beyond greed and conflict.
The heart knows understanding, compassion, empathy, peace, truth, and love (to name just a few qualities).
Although the heart can be felt in the chest, it’s definitely not limited by it.
The heart doesn’t have physical space like parks do, but it does have a space.
A sacred space.
Beyond time and physical location.
Our capacity to anchor into our heart naturally brings more heart into the world, creating ripples into the lives of our family, friends, workmates, community and ultimately humanity.
Raising consciousness
With so much fear, separation and conflict in the world at the moment, we need people who consciously anchor this sacred space into the world through their heart.
Fear is one of the most infectious things we can experience, and when it spreads through a family, community, country or humanity, we can feel its powerful constrictive nature on us as individuals as well as collectively. It puts us into a state of “you vs me” which leads to more separation, greed, and more conflict.
But heart also has the power to spread through our families, communities, countries and humanity. Its effect can be even more powerful. This often requires courage, because to get to a place of heart we can’t pretend our fear doesn’t exist, we have to face our fears head on and acknowledge them and take responsibility for how it impacts our actions.
This might be uncomfortable but it’s here we discover the seed of the human spirit, and the capacity to realize we’re part of something greater than our self.
Just like our protected parks are a gift from caring people of the past, imagine the gift of heart shining brightly within humanity long after we’re gone, inspiring our families, communities and leaders to raise consciousness to a higher level, instead of allowing a future governed by fear, conflict, manipulation and corruption.
We can leave a legacy of heart rippling through humanity to support future generations.
It’s up to each one of us, at this time, to ignite this seed of human spirit in our hearts and shine it into the world, for all of us now and in the future.
This is what it means to be a Peacekeeper.
The call of the heart
There’s a reason you find yourself here, now, reading this message…
Heart!
It’s not a coincidence!
At some level you’ve heard the call.
There’s an impulse of peace, unity and love available for humanity right now, and you feel it!
And you’re not alone!
Just like candles anchoring light into a dark room, we can anchor peace, unity love through our heart into the world.
The world needs your heart to shine.
Let’s leave a legacy of heart for future generations.
…
